FAYETTE, Iowa - Peacock football (1-2) starts GLVC play in Jefferson City, Missouri, this Saturday against Lincoln (Mo.) (1-2, 0-1 GLVC) at 2 p.m. in Dwight T. Reed Stadium. This game is the final of a three-game road stretch for the Peacocks and will be homecoming for Lincoln.

The Peacocks are 2-1 in GLVC openers since joining the conference in 2023. UIU has won its last two conference openers against Southwest Baptist and Lincoln, with a loss to William Jewell in the first year in the conference. 

LIVE OPTIONS
Fans unable to attend the games this weekend can stay connected with a pair of live options available at UIUPeacocks.com/Live, featuring access to live stats and a pay-per-view webcast through GLVCSN. Fans can also refer to the links attached to this story for all live options. 

In addition to GLVCSN.com, viewers can catch the Peacocks on the GLVCSN iOS and Android mobile app, as well as the GLVCSN app on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Android TV.

LAST TIME OUT
Upper Iowa fell in a rollercoaster of a game to Michigan Tech (3-1) this past Saturday in overtime, 33-32. MTU moved up four spots to No. 21 this week in the AFCA Coaches' Poll after the win. The game featured six turnovers, and the Huskies blocked four Peacock kick attempts. This included a field goal to end regulation and the extra point in overtime. 

Damon Head Jr. found the end zone in overtime with a three-yard rushing touchdown. After the blocked extra point, it came down to 4th-and-goal from the one-yard line on the Husky possession. Alex Bueno found the end zone with a tush push, and the extra point won the homecoming game for Michigan Tech.

Quarterback Zamar Wise led the Peacocks with a season-high 24 carries for 148 yards on the ground. He was 16-of-27 passing with a season-high 188 passing yards as well. He posted one touchdown rushing and one touchdown passing. 

Head Jr. totaled 25 yards on the ground and 33 yards receiving. Ronald Wilson Jr. had 45 receiving yards with 29 yards rushing and a touchdown. Tight end Logan Rosauer led the Peacock receiving efforts with five catches for 48 yards. Freshman wide receiver LJ Nyenow Jr. totaled two catches for 46 yards and a touchdown.

On defense, Braylon Kammrad totaled 11 tackles (nine solo) for the most by a Peacock defender in a game this season. Jalen Hodo had an interception after a deflection by Daniel Robinson. Demontay Mack added six tackles (four solo) and a tackle-for-loss.

The Peacocks outgained the Huskies, 391-275. Michigan Tech ran for 237 yards, but only threw for 38 yards. The Huskies had two 100-yard rushers in Elliott Larner and Jake Rueff. This marked the first time since 2023 against Concordia-St. Paul (Minn.) that a team has had two 100-yard rushers against UIU.

Upper Iowa totaled 27 first downs to Michigan Tech's 15 and had a 35:12-24:48 time of possession advantage. The Huskies finished the game 1-for-10 on third downs, finding success on the early downs while also going 3-for-4 on fourth downs.  

AROUND THE GLVC
While the Peacocks were wrapping up nonconference play, the rest of the conference got started with GLVC play. Defending GLVC champion UIndy (1-3, 0-1 GLVC) was upset on the road in Lebanon by McKendree (Ill.) (1-2, 1-0 GLVC), 35-31, for the most surprising result on the weekend. The Greyhounds were receiving votes in the AFCA Coaches' Poll entering last week. 

Preseason No. 2 Truman State (Mo.) (1-3, 1-0 GLVC) picked up its first win in emphatic fashion, 42-14, over Missouri S&T (0-3, 0-1 GLVC). William Jewell (Mo.) (2-0, 1-0 GLVC) stayed unbeaten with a 10-point win over Southwest Baptist (Mo.) (1-3, 0-1 GLVC). Quincy (Ill.) (1-2, 1-0 GLVC) picked up a 34-27 victory over Lincoln.  

The top two teams in the GLVC Preseason Coaches' Poll face off this weekend as Truman State heads to UIndy for a night game. McKendree and William Jewell will face off after both picked up wins last week. Quincy plays a nonconference contest against Wayne State (Mich.) (0-3). 

STATISTICAL SUMMARY
Wise is the conference leader in rushing, totaling 339 yards on the ground for an average of 113 per game. The senior is averaging 5.9 yards per carry and has scored three touchdowns. He also ranks 14th nationally in rushing yards per game. 

He's thrown for 511 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 170.3 passing yards per game. Wise is averaging 282.7 yards of total offense per game, ranking second in the conference and 18th in the nation.

Nyenow Jr. has a team-high 10 catches for 189 receiving yards and two touchdowns. The freshman ranks fifth in the conference in receiving yards per game. His 18.9 yards per catch ranks fifth in the GLVC as well. 

Kammrad leads the team with 18 tackles, 12 of which are solo. He's tied for 11th in the GLVC in solo tackles. Michael Mulherin has 17 tackles at linebacker, and Mack has 14 tackles at defensive end. Mack and Hodo have each totaled three tackles-for-loss, which tie for 11th in the conference.

Cornerback Dominic Salibi has four pass breakups and an interception this season. He leads the league in passes defended, averaging 1.67 per game. Aaron King and Nevan Foss aren't far behind with three pass breakups each this season.

The Peacocks rank fifth in the GLVC in scoring, averaging 27 points per game. UIU's defense is third in the conference in scoring, allowing 22.3 points per game. UIU has the best passing defense in the league, allowing just 117.3 yards per game. The Peacock defense also allows the fewest first downs per game in the GLVC at 14.3. 

ABOUT THE BLUE TIGERS
The Blue Tigers won their opener against Central Methodist (Mo.), 27-11, before falling to Langston (Okla.), 19-14, and falling this past week to Quincy, 34-27. Lincoln ran for 186 yards, and TJ Kelly returned a blocked punt for a touchdown in the GLVC-opening loss to the Hawks. 

Quincy had slightly more total offensive yards, 356-347, but two interceptions, including a pick-six, became too much to overcome for the Blue Tigers. Running back Kantrell Jordan led the ground attack with 18 carries for 86 yards and two touchdowns.

Quarterback Antwon McKay Jr. was 16-of-28 for 161 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions in the loss. On the season, McKay Jr. is 39-of-82 (47.56%) for 514 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions. He's added 114 yards and a touchdown rushing. He is eighth in quarterback efficiency in the GLVC. 

Jordan leads the rushing attack with 233 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 77.67 yards per game. He is sixth in the GLVC in rushing yards per game, doing it on only 36 carries. His 6.5 yards per carry ranks fifth in the conference. Freshman running back Leonard Butler IV is adding 130 yards and a touchdown to the rushing attack. 

Freshman Shakim Atkinson Jr. leads the Blue Tigers in receiving with nine catches for 143 yards and a touchdown. Another freshman, Ron Lunz, is adding seven catches for 113 yards and a touchdown. South Dakota Mines transfer Gage Bohannon also has seven catches for 68 yards. 

Kelly is one of the top defenders in the conference, totaling 24 tackles (14 solo) to tie for ninth in tackles per game in the GLVC. He is constantly in the backfield, totaling a conference-high 7.5 tackles-for-loss. That ranks as the most tackles-for-loss so far by any defender in the nation this season. The sophomore has tallied 2.5 sacks, two pass breakups, two quarterback hurries and a forced fumble to go along with his blocked punt touchdown return last game. 

Freshman defensive lineman Scotty Dobbins and sophomore linebacker Dempsey Spears have added 15 tackles each this season. Defensive lineman Mark Gorbatenko has a team-high five quarterback hurries along with a forced fumble this season. 

The Blue Tigers are tied for the conference lead in total forced fumbles with four. Their defense is allowing the second-fewest points per game in the GLVC at 21.3, and the third-lowest rushing yards per game at 141.3.

The Peacocks are 3-0 all-time against Lincoln, winning the first matchup in 2009. UIU defeated the Blue Tigers in Fayette for homecoming last season, 31-10, as the Peacocks scored 28 of 31 points in the first half. Upper Iowa ran for 220 yards to help contribute to 432 total yards of offense in the victory. Head Jr. led that rushing attack with 85 yards and a touchdown. 

Head coach Moses Harper is in his third season with the Blue Tigers and has a 4-21 record, while the Blue Tigers are still seeking their first GLVC win. Before his time at Lincoln, Harper was a passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach at Nebraska Kearney in 2023 and a tight ends coach at Missouri Western in 2022. He also served as the offensive line coach at William Jewell from 2019-21.